Wilcoxson Wins Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge

Neo-pro Jade Wilcoxson of the Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies squad put in another impressive display in her breakthrough year yesterday taking the win at the Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge in Aspen, Colorado yesterday. Alison Powers of NOW and Novartis for MS was second and Wilcoxson’s teammate Leah Kirchmann, third.

“It was a fun race today in Aspen, and our team worked great together,” said Wilcoxson. “After all the work we have done this year to capture the NRC title, it was fun to race in downtown Aspen in front of such an enthusiastic crowd, and it was great to race side by side with our men’s team in the US Pro Challenge.”

In front of thousand of spectators, short-lived breaks that included Carmen Small and some of her Optum-KBS teammates, Olivia Dillon, Christina Gokey-Smith and Robin Farina of NOW and Novartis for MS, USA Cyclocross champion Katie Compton (Trek Cross Collective) and Nicole Duke (Natural Grocers Cycling Team) were formed but nothing was sticking. The field was all back together by the halfway point.

After a breather, Dillon and Jackie Kurth (Primal/MapMyRide) tried to get away but were reeled back in. A bunch sprint seemed imminent but Powers had another idea in mind when she took off solo with 12 minutes left in the race. But Optum was having none of it and caught her, on the final lap.

The race, previously known as the Aspen Women’s race, was shortened from a three-day stage race down to a 60-minute criterium and held on the same streets as the finish of stage 3 of the USA Pro Challenge.